This chapter addresses the ontological debate between actors and structure, proposing a dual perspective where the hierarchical global system both constrains and is reproduced by the decisions of actors. It argues that while the drive for the differential accumulation of power is inherently systemic, its specific form depends on the dynamic interrelation between resources, actors and relations within a structured framework. A central contribution is the identification of structural “trenches” – institutional and, crucially, ideological walls – that protect elite dominance and render populace mobilisation increasingly difficult. By engaging with Foucault’s “regime of truth” and Gramsci’s “hegemony”, the analysis demonstrates how the current structure shapes a “common sense” that prioritises power accumulation over human well-being to the extent that head-on clashes with the system appear unlikely in the extreme, with a long-term “war of position” the only feasible way to build counter-hegemonies.